Fiber-Reinforced Control Plate for Quieter Hydraulic Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic machines using water as a fluid produce significant noise due to the lack of inherent lubrication, and existing solutions with steel inserts and friction-reducing plastics do not adequately address this issue.
Innovation Solution
A control plate made entirely of a fibre-reinforced plastic material, with fibres oriented predominantly parallel to the contact face and a steel reinforcing ring for stability, reduces noise and enhances flexibility and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a steel insert with friction-reducing plastic coating is used in the control plate, then wear resistance is improved, but noise level increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The control plate utilizes a composite structure combining fibre-reinforced plastic material (providing wear resistance) with a rubber-like material layer (providing noise damping). This composite approach allows simultaneous achievement of wear resistance and noise reduction without requiring a steel insert.
Solution Approach 2:
A rubber-like material layer is introduced as an intermediary between the fibre-reinforced plastic and the mating surface. This intermediate layer absorbs vibrations and reduces noise transmission while maintaining the functional contact surface, thereby solving the noise problem without compromising wear resistance.
2Strength
If a steel insert is used to withstand hydraulic pressures, then strength is improved, but the control plate becomes less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The control plate employs fibre-reinforced plastic material that combines the strength necessary to withstand hydraulic pressures with the flexibility of polymer materials. The fibre reinforcement (glass, carbon, or aramid) provides enhanced mechanical strength while the plastic matrix maintains flexibility, eliminating the need for steel inserts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by selecting specific fibre types, fibre lengths (5-50 mm), and fibre contents (30-60% by volume) to achieve the optimal balance between strength and flexibility. This parameter optimization allows the plastic material to replace steel while maintaining pressure withstanding capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the control plate thickness is reduced, then flexibility is improved, but strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The fibre-reinforced plastic material provides enhanced strength-to-thickness ratio compared to solid steel. The fibres (5-50 mm length) create a reinforced structure that maintains strength even in thinner plates, enabling reduced thickness while preserving both flexibility and force withstanding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fibres are distributed throughout the plastic matrix to provide localized reinforcement where needed. This creates non-uniform local properties within the material, with fibre clusters providing strength enhancement in critical areas while maintaining overall plate flexibility and allowing thinner design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a hydraulic machine with reduced noise levels, increased flexibility, and improved wear resistance, allowing operation with higher hydraulic pressures and water-based fluids.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic material is a fibre reinforced plastic material... Apart from the reduction of the noise level, such a control plate has a number of further advantages
Implementation Method 2
at least in a thickness region adjacent the contact face more than 50% of the fibres include an angle with the contact face of less than 30°. Thus, the fibres are more or less oriented parallel to the contact face so that the counter part of the control plate runs basically in parallel to most of the fibres and does not slide over a surface which is roughened by the ends of the fibres. Tribological contacts are thus in an optimum form.
Data Source
AI summary
A control plate (18) of a hydraulic machine is described, the control plate (18) includes a body (21), an arrangement of openings (22, 23), and a contact face (24). In order to operate a hydraulic machine with a low noise level the body (21) is made of a plastic material. The control plate may be used as port plate or as valve plate.